10 Myths and Facts about the Gaza War

Key facts you need to know to defend Israel.

It is said that truth is the first casualty of war. Here are some lies that have been spread about Israel in recent weeks – and the truth behind these slanders. Only by clarifying the facts can we look forward to a realistic solution to the tensions.

(1) Israel started this war, using the murder of three Israeli teens as a pretext.

In the first half of 2014 – prior to the outbreak of fighting – Hamas launched nearly 200 rockets at Israeli civilians. When the three Israeli teens were brutally kidnapped, Israel went looking for them in the West Bank; they were later found murdered. To divert attention from Hamas accountability, the terror group launched hundreds of rockets at the length and breadth of Israel, sending 80 percent of the Israeli population racing into bomb shelters.

Israel responded by rooting out the rocket sites in Gaza – in the process fortuitously discovering a vast network of terror tunnels that Hamas reportedly planned to used to stage a single day of mass kidnappings and murder of Jews.

(2) Fighting Israel is the only way Hamas can build a better life for its people.

If Hamas were serious about building a better life for its people, it wouldn’t have violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2006 and suppressed all future elections. Instead, Hamas imprisons and kills political opponents with impunity. Hamas “morality police” punish women for smoking and wearing “un-Islamic” clothes such as jeans and t-shirts. Honor killings of women are punished lightly, with as little as six months in jail.

It takes millions of dollars, tons of cement, and a year’s worth of labor to build a tunnel from Gaza into Israel. In the past two weeks, Israel has uncovered 30 such tunnels – representing millions of dollars Hamas could have spent on the population of Gaza, but instead spent on fighting Israel.

If Hamas truly wanted a better life for Gazans, it wouldn’t have spurned trade and development in favor of terror and dictatorship. In 2005, when Israel removed all Israeli residents and soldiers from Gaza, Hamas and other looters destroyed 3,000 greenhouses donated by American Jews to help build their fledgling country – leaving a sorry symbol of Hamas corruption and terror.

(3) Hamas is trying to minimize Palestinian casualties.

Instead of minimizing human casualties, Hamas seems to be courting them. They have launched thousands of missiles at Israel from locations adjacent to or within schools, mosques, hospitals, and residential buildings: a staggering 11,000 since 2005. Far from building bomb shelters to protect their population, as Israel has done, Hamas has deliberately used the entire civilian population as human shields.

Hamas has turned Gaza's largest medical facility, Shifa Hospital, into a military command center – knowing that Israel's higher morality makes it a safe haven from Israeli fire.

(4) The rate of Palestinian civilian deaths is alarmingly high.

Hamas claims that 75% of those killed in the current conflict in Gaza are civilians. Israeli sources found the overwhelming majority – two thirds – are males between the ages of 18 and 60, despite that demographic accounting for only 20% of Gaza’s population.

During a brief humanitarian ceasefire on July 24, Hamas executed 25 people without trial, accusing them of spying for Israel. These 25 were later added to the tally of people killed by Israel, and hailed as “martyrs." In the words of Bassem Eid of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, Palestinian casualties are ultimately "in the interest of Hamas."

(5) Israel’s actions are contrary to international law.

Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of “violations of the laws of war” and the United Nations has opened an inquiry into alleged war crimes by Israel – though not of Hamas, which deliberately targets Israeli civilians as an ongoing policy.

In attacking legitimate military targets lodged among civilians, international law places full responsibility for any civilian deaths on the fighters who've embedded themselves. (The Conduct of Hostilities Under the Law of International Armed Conflict, Cambridge University Press, 2004)

Caught in the difficult situation of responding to rocket fire from within civilian areas, Israel’s army has taken unprecedented actions to limit human casualties, calling the cell phones of people near or in targets to warn them of imminent bombings, and dropping Arabic-language leaflets warning civilians, as well as the “knock on the door,” whereby Israel fires a small round to warn people to leave an area before a strike.

Alarmed that this might reduce civilian casualties, however, Hamas has forced Gazans to act as human shields for the many rocket launchers imbedded in private homes. The New York Times dramatically described the recipients of one such warning, who quickly marshaled family members – including children – to enter the targeted building, forming a human shield.

(6) Israeli actions are "disproportionate."

Brazil has recalled its ambassador to protest Israel’s “disproportionate” response to Hamas rockets and terror tunnels. But proportionality isn’t measured in terms of death toll on either side: Israel, which has invested in bomb shelters for its citizens, in anti-rocket ammunition to protect its cities, and which doesn’t place its rocket launchers in civilian areas, has protected its people; even playgrounds in southern Israel have been ‘missile-proofed’ with millions of dollars of reinforced steel. Should Israel be blamed for properly protecting its citizens?!

In World War Two, 67,000 British civilians and 12,000 American civilians were killed, compared to the Nazis who lost over one million civilians. Clear responsibility for these deaths rests on the Nazis who started the war. More recently, in the 2004 urban warfare of Fallujah in Iraq, the U.S. killed 800 civilians and destroyed 9,000 homes. Did we hear cries of "disproportionate"?

As military analyst Colonel Richard Kemp concludes: "I don't think there has ever been a time in the history of warfare when any army has made more efforts to reduce civilian casualties and deaths of innocent people, than the IDF is doing today in Gaza."

(7) Hamas is a humanitarian organization.

Hamas bills itself as a "humanitarian organization," yet it’s anything but. As the people of Gaza endure high unemployment and limited economic growth, Hamas’ leadership skims off profits, collecting ruinous taxes on business transactions, and steals international aid outright. Ismail Haniyah, Hamas’ leader, reportedly owns numerous homes throughout Gaza, and in 2010 paid $4 million for a beachfront home in Lebanon. His deputy, Khaled Mashal, controls a $2.6 billion fund donated to Hamas by the governments of Qatar and Egypt.

If Hamas were truly fighting for the rights of ordinary Palestinians, it also would hold elections, ensure human rights, and stop pursuing political opponents. But it chooses to spread terror.

The Hamas Charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the death of Jews around the world: “the Zionist plan is limitless” and “our struggle against the Jews is very great... until the enemy is vanquished.” Who can doubt that, if given the chance, Hamas would inflict mass casualties on Israel and Jews? Given this existential threat, Israel has no choice but to try to demilitarize Hamas and destroy its tunnels.

Ironically, in 2013 Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh boasted that Hamas had acquired new rockets that were capable of hitting Tel Aviv – at the very time that his own granddaughter was being treated in Schneider Children’s Hospital near Tel Aviv!

(9) All the Gaza casualties are Israel's fault.

Many of the rockets Hamas has launched into Israel have fallen short, hitting targets in Gaza instead; often, Israel is blamed for these hits and their resultant civilian casualties. One high-profile case is the UN-run school bombed on July 24 with 16 casualties. Israel categorically denies bombing the school when anyone was present, and has produced aerial footage proving its case.

Four days later, a Gaza park was bombed, killing nine children and an adult. The Israeli army explained that the incident was carried out by Gaza terrorists whose rockets fell short and hit the Shifa Hospital and the Beach (Shati) camp.

Israel does not occupy Gaza, having unilaterally disengaged – withdrawing every soldier and civilian – in 2005. Despite the thousands of terrorist rocket and missile attacks emanating from the Strip for years, Israel continues – even during this crisis – to truck in tons of medical supplies, food, humanitarian goods and fuel.

Despite the war, Israel has kept the Kerem Shalom crossing open to a steady stream of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and allows humanitarian access at the Erez Crossing in northern Gaza. The Israeli military also operates a full-scale hospital at the Erez Crossing, treating Palestinians from Gaza. Both crossing points are under a steady stream of attack every day from Hamas forces.

While many Gazans are indeed suffering from a supply shortage, signs point to Hamas intentionally exacerbating the crisis as a propaganda weapon against Israel – while creating a flourishing black market that filled the pockets of Hamas thugs.

Soon there will be calls for shipments of tons of concrete into Gaza to "rebuild." Past concrete shipment have gone to construct terror tunnels. Will the international aid agencies be fooled again?

If Israel is perpetrating genocide, it is doing a terrible job. Why hasn't Israel acted worse? Where are the slave labor camps and the nightly massacres? It is difficult to reconcile the idea of "genocidal Israelis" with 1,000 Palestinians, mostly combatants, killed in the fighting. Two-thirds of European Jewry exterminated by the Nazis? That's genocide. 800,000 Tutsis (7 out of 10) killed in Rwanda? That's genocide.

Israel has faced difficult choices in Gaza and has acted at every step to minimize casualties, protect her citizens, and help build a better life for all the people – Jews and Arabs – in the region.

About the Author

Yvette Alt Miller earned her B.A. at Harvard University. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Jewish Studies at Oxford University, and has a Ph.D. In International Relations from the London School of Economics. She lives with her family in Chicago, and has lectured internationally on Jewish topics. Her book Angels at the table: a Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat takes readers through the rituals of Shabbat and more, explaining the full beautiful spectrum of Jewish traditions with warmth and humor. It has been praised as "life-changing", a modern classic, and used in classes and discussion groups around the world.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 53

(33)
Anonymous,
August 26, 2014 5:52 PM

Wonderful Article

This is a good article for those who have problems explaining the conflict or giving answers to questions due to their own ignorance of the situation, Judaism and Israel. I wish that someone would do an entire show or segment at the very least on network TV, not just the Jewish network on this subject with these same answers (for those people Jewish or non-Jewish who do not seem capable of answering these questions/statements when they come up. I meet people all the time who do not keep up with the history and issues of the conflict, just get bits and pieces and make their minds up without full knowledge, who see the images of the children on TV in Gaza, and simply make their assumptions on that alone. They have no clue of the history of the situation whatsoever!

(32)
Ben,
August 5, 2014 3:59 AM

Excellent Please Add THis As Well

Please sign this petition that the US recognize Gaza must eb Demilitarized

world should sign that israel must be Demilitarized..this shows how u people are cruel and selfish..shame on u to occupy other countries land..

jerry,
September 5, 2014 4:58 PM

arabs can be intelligent maybe

muslims don't have to be ignorant all they have to do is see the truth and not be blinded by their typical narrow hatred.also like in this item hiding the truth of her muslim identity

Tivonnah,
April 17, 2016 3:17 PM

Did you read the article,

Diana?

(31)
Anonymous,
August 3, 2014 9:29 PM

Missing the Obvious

Thank you very much for explaining the true facts about Hamas and its desires to obliterate Israel and its rights to exist. Unfortunately, it would appear that many readers are missing the reality of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, namely Hamas. They are ignoring that Hamas has been incessantly provoking Israel, by firing rockets and using human shields so that they can then portrait Israel in the media, as the aggressor. They deliberately and randomly fire rockets at Israel with the intention to harm anyone. They just don't care about civilian innocents. People are also ignoring that the millions of dollars given to aid the Palestinian for shelter and electric energy were utilized by Hamas to build tunnels from Gaza into Israel, only to ambush and kill Israelis IDF soldiers and civilians by the mass. I am seriously concerned to see the UN supporting terrorists this way, building school and hospital in what they call "humanitarian" efforts to aid the Palestinian, which now appears to be more a front to conceal terrorist actions, when the UN is supposed to genuinely advocate for peace amongst countries. I seriously wonder if we need a UN to represent only one side in a conflict like the one Israel is facing at the present moment with Hamas. Who is behind the UN? Why the UN is not making clear to Hamas that their provocative terroristic actions are not, and will not be acceptable, tolerated, or supported by the UN? Readers should look closely at the reasons why Israel is rightfully defending itself, before giving their biased opinions. There should be no two States solution, but only one State solution and that should be Israel, which is a democratic State that makes every effort to protect its people. We need to learn more history about Israel from long before the 1967 accord, as the Israel nation has always existed since Biblical times with its own language, own religion and culture, and an eternal presence in the land of Israel.

(30)
Josh Pactor,
August 3, 2014 8:34 PM

Hey while we're talking about moral equivalency...

...let's talk about a nation which, for the last two hundred thirty-eight years, has committed acts of genocide and apartheid against a conquered, indigenous people. This nation drove these native peoples from their ancestral lands into forced camps, where the native peoples were treated brutally and forced to live in squalor. This nation also committed acts of biological warfare against these native peoples, giving them clothes and blankets intentionally infected with disease in an effort to slaughter the natives en masse.

This nation also, for eighty years, enslaved an entire population of forced immigrant labor, capturing them from their native lands on another continent and bringing them over to live under brutal oppression. Even after marginally releasing this population from slavery, this nation continued to treat its own citizens, the descendants of these slaves, as second-class citizens, denying them basic rights to education and voting. It wasn't until about sixty years ago that this practice was ended.

And further, during a great and terrible war, this nation took an entire class of its own citizens and imprisoned them in internment camps. These people had their legally-owned properties stripped from them, stolen from them, while they were unjustly imprisoned.

And today, many citizens of this nation accuse Israel of committing crimes like this and more, an unjust and untrue allegation.

The nation I'm referring to, of course, is the United States.

G-d Bless (and forgive) America. We need it.

Anonymous,
August 6, 2014 3:04 AM

well written!

Your essay is excellent. You should publish it widely!

Keith,
August 7, 2014 6:45 AM

A few corrections...

"This nation also, for eighty years, enslaved an entire population of forced immigrant labor, capturing them from their native lands on another continent..."

Actually, their fellow Africans sold them into slavery. There was no "capturing". Not justifying the slavery at all, but softening a inaccurately hard edge in your account.

"Even after marginally releasing this population from slavery,..."

Marginally? They were released. Period. Now were they harshly marginalized in American society for decades afterwards? No argument.

These practices ran counter to our stated philosophy on our founding documents. Hypocrisy for sure. Fortunately, as Bill Clinton once said, there's nothing wrong with America that cannot be solved by what's right with America. And historically that has proven true.

As for your argument against moral equivalency, you'll get no disagreement from me. Israel's being held to an entirely different standard from Hamas... or any other nation. This wreaks of bigotry, or at the very least, a sorely lacking understanding of the evil that Hamas commits. As Dennis Prager would say, such people have an inverted moral compass.

All countries sympathetic to terrorists should give visas. Israel is a democracy. In most countries dissidents are ostracized, put in jail, killed. Israel let's them have free speech, enrolls them in universities. Nobel Peace Prize for Israel and IDF.

(28)
Anonymous,
August 3, 2014 1:23 PM

if u really need peace

to resolve the problem, only way is to give half of the occupied land and equals rights for palestine people and half of the land for israel people. then live peacefully without war. when u die, there is nuthing will come with us except good deeds what u did in the past. God either muslim,christian or jews 's will luv only peace not the people who kills the innocent people..

Josh Pactor,
August 3, 2014 7:15 PM

Half the land

That already happened, it was called the partitioning plan of 1948. Israel went to the Jews, Jordan went to the non-Jews. Before then, the area of "Palestine" was an administrative district--not even a nation of its own--for almost 2,000 years, first by the Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire, then finally the British Empire.

Within Israel, all citizens (regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, orientation, or religious background) have full equal rights and live peacefully together. There is no separate "arab vote" and "jewish vote". Muslim arabs serve on the Parliament as equal voting members; one member of the Parliament is a Muslim woman.

The only way there will be peace here is for Hamas and its supporters to denounce their policy of hatred and acknowledge Israel's right to exist.

Deborah,
August 3, 2014 8:22 PM

I Agree

Yes, great comment, I agree.

Anonymous,
August 4, 2014 6:26 AM

what are you talking about?

"only way is to give half of the occupied land and equals rights for palestine people and half of the land for israel people."1. what occupied land? there is gaza, where arabs live under hamas, where there is not a single jew or israeli, and israel, where jews and arabs live in equal and peaceful democracy.2. who are the palestine people? the jews who lived in palestine before the founding of israel? i never heard of someone with a homeland called palestine. how many thousands of years ago was it founded?3. we already did give half the land to those who call themselves palestinians. they created for themselves a miserable country of terror and oppression. if they want equal rights they stay in israel, which is the only normal modern democracy in the middle east.4. "to resolve the problem" we need to get rid of hamas. they are founded on the principle of killing as many jews as they can. not a great path to peace. read their charter.hopefully G-d will open the world's eyes someday

(27)
June,
August 2, 2014 7:55 PM

Thanks for a truthful article

Thanks for providing truth and accurate background to "both sides" . I still can't believe that israel is the only nation that must defend itself, sadly, on a regular basis. Perhaps a two state arrangement is best /only solution. Have all the Palestinians vacate Gaza and live in the West Bank. Will that satisfy them?

Evelyn Dow,
August 3, 2014 10:24 PM

You must be joking!!!

Give the Palestinians the West Bank? why? So they will be closer to more people they hate and want to kill? Now that they have ruined Gaza, they need a new place of residence?

(26)
Alex Leibowitz,
August 2, 2014 12:07 PM

Even One Is Too Many

If Israel kills even one innocent, how can that be excused? We must not allow ourselves to suppose that just because the actions of Hamas were unjustified, that Israel's conduct does not deserve scrutiny. It would be far nobler for Israel to suffer when it doesn't have to, than to risk inflicting suffering on those who don't deserve it.

Yaakov,
August 3, 2014 2:08 AM

What is your alternative?

Then how would you respond to Hamas attacks from within civilian locales?

Mordechai Bookbinder,
August 3, 2014 3:47 AM

Even One it too many...?

How is allowing innocent Jews to be kidnapped, injured and killed noble? Since when did this become the new moral standard? Your statement is tantamount to claiming that it is more morally justifiable to allow Hamas to grow in numbers and strength while Jews continue to suffer around the world, than for Israel to do something about it because it may harm innocent civilians. You seem to forget that innocent civilians have been, and continue to be, harmed already - viz., the Jews of Europe and Israel who are persecuted by Hamas and Hamas sympathizers. But, apparently, that doesn't seem to register in your moral construct. If that's your definition of noble, then include me out.

Alex Leibowitz,
August 3, 2014 2:07 PM

It is noble because you choose to suffer rather than doing wrong. Self-defense is perfectly justified, but there are limits to what you can do to prevent you and yours from being harmed.

Josh Pactor,
August 3, 2014 9:53 PM

Well in that case...

If only Hamas would hear your message and step up to its moral, noble obligation to suffer rather than doing wrong, then!

levi,
August 6, 2014 8:07 PM

not noble

it is not noble to endanger your family because someone else is endangering theirs. its merely Jewish meekness

Anonymous,
August 3, 2014 1:15 PM

You don't get it!!

It is not Israel who puts civilian's in Gaza in harm's way, but rather Hamas who puts its own people in harm's way.Are you perhaps living under a rock? If not for Israel's Iron Dome to protect citizens, Israel would have had triple the amount of causalities as did Hamas. This is war!! What country in this world ever took into consideration the safety of the enemy. Well, Israel does. It is Hamas, that you have to take this up with. Starting with placing innocents in harm's way on purpose. Not allowing people to have a form of shelter, beating them, if they attempt to leave. What does Israel do? It makes phone calls ,send leaflets, to tell the people to evacuate, and has even set up field hospitals to treat THEIR wounded. So Israel does not need anything EXCEPT the support of the world, and in particular from Jews, who if push came to shove, would have only Israel to run to. You should keep that in mind!

Dr. Mom,
August 3, 2014 4:17 PM

Reality check

If it's a choice between noble acts and survival, rationale people take the latter.

Deliberately murdering a person is far different than a death caused from another exercising self-defense.Hamas has not problem murdering its own population or Israelis. Where is your call for scrutiny for them (Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Sudan to name a few)?

Bro. Nick,
August 3, 2014 5:58 PM

How long before you would 'respond'?

@ Alex - 1) The thing that must be realized is that there are innocent victims in modern warfare. Is that unfortunate - absolutely!2) How long would it be before you 'reacted' if someone was shooting at your wife, your children, you, or your property with rockets and mortars?3) It is quite easy to sit in our comfortable homes, and go where we please without being threatened with death - and make judgments of a brutality and hatred that we have no experiential understanding of!!!Bro. Nick - a Vietnam vet that remembers what it was like to be in 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year threat of death. My support has been with ISRAEL and the JEWISH people for 45 years.May all who believe in the LORD G-D of ISRAEL frequently, sincerely and fervently "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." (Ps 122:6)

Anonymous,
August 3, 2014 7:43 PM

Far nobler...

...but suicidal. Israel isn't asking for an excusal from the deaths of civilians. NOBODY argues that the loss of innocent civilian life is terrible. You're right. One is too many. But while we're in the realm of moral equivalency, then one death of an Israeli innocent is also too many. Where do you draw the line? When do you put a foot down and take up arms to protect your own people?

Are you suggesting that Israel should just let Hamas shoot rockets non-stop? Why? Is it because Israel has the Iron Dome and bomb shelters, but Gaza doesn't? So, because Israel has invested heavily in protecting its citizens from the daily, incessant attacks of rockets fired from mosques, schools, hospitals, and homes in Gaza, they must just sit there and take it, because Hamas militants squandered relief aid on tunnels (whose express and primary function are attack vectors) and more rockets, instead of creating bomb shelters for its people?

I get that you feel terrible guilt over the deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza. I feel terrible about it too. But here's a secret: So do most people in Israel. Golda Meir said, "When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons." What does this say? It says that we hold the lives of the Gazans as meaningful, and the deaths of innocents from -either- nation as tragic.

But we can't just lay down and take the attacks from Hamas because we have a better defense. Israel has an -obligation- to defend its own citizens. They must be able to respond by removing the capacity of Hamas to continue attacking its citizens. Moses said, "I present to you the choice of [...] life and death. So choose life."

Israel is choosing life; they are choosing the lives of its people. It's too bad Hamas is not doing the same thing.

(25)
B'Chayil Ben Dan,
August 1, 2014 4:26 PM

Superb article-Todah rabah!

Fabulous article. We need this to combat all the lies, misinformation and falsehoods that Hamas and the mainstream world media is saying. Israel is in the fight for its right to live without terror and murder. We must never capitulate to the forces of evil. Am Yisrael Chai!

(24)
Shari,
August 1, 2014 2:27 PM

Bravo for this article.

Thank you for this article. While physical war is raging in Israel and Gaza, a media war is taking place everywhere else. There are many people of goodwill, who want peace in the Middle East, but are subject to the media bias mostly impugning Israel. Talk about disproportion! (Roger Cohen of the New York Times is the most reprehensible example. By what right does he have such a platform- and no accountability?) In any event, just to make fellow readers feel a little better, my gentile friends- from Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Ghana, Venezuela, and Canada, to name a few- SOLIDLY support Israel (& not because I'm Jewish). They're able to see through the media garbage. They don't know facts, but on a gut level, they know Israel is doing what she needs to do. I believe we all must "fight" for Israel by educating our friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. continuously- and not just in wartime. Articles like this help achieve that. Keep up the good work! Am Yisrael Chai.

(23)
Tsivya,
August 1, 2014 1:19 PM

Fantastic

There are many great articles written by great authors, but this one is hands down the most comprehensive. Clear and concise, and with information not commonly known.

(22)
L Bensimon,
August 1, 2014 12:14 PM

Great Article

Excellent article, very well written and to the point. Unfortunately, even though Israel is justified in her actions, still many innocent lives, specially women and children, will have to die before this terrible conflict is over.

L.Miller,
August 2, 2014 5:51 AM

The children don't have to die

Actually the children are dying in he hands of Hamas. Their thirst to win the PR means that they will continue to use the children as cover. Just today it was reported by an IDL soldier that a Hamas soldier was shooting a gun and running with an infant in his other arm, If Hamas would stop, there were be no deaths.

(21)
Mary,
August 1, 2014 10:53 AM

We are aware!

Please don't think that all Americans are fooled by the press that make out Israel as the aggressor. We know and we support you. Stay your coarse, we'll pray for your safety.......but we know despite what anyone for or against you thinks.......you are G-ds people and I for one, believe him! Shalom and Love!

(20)
Laura,
August 1, 2014 10:04 AM

Myths and Facts

We cannot rely on newspapers or posts on sites such as Aish. It is up to us to inform people of the situation in Israel. If we do not speak we may as well have turned our backs on Israel and Jews around the world.

(19)
julie,
August 1, 2014 7:16 AM

Hamas hatred

Every civilized person knows that love is divine and uplifting and hatred is evil and destructive. Radical Islamists like Hamas teach school children to hate. What kind of future do they envisage for their children?
I am not a Jew but I can't help noticing that most of the world's people are unwilling or unable to think rationally when Israel or the world's Jews are at stake. It is depressing to realize that hatred is more contagious than love.

(18)
Annie,
August 1, 2014 5:05 AM

Didn't we see rockets coming OUT of that school ? I thought that Israel had-understandably-sent one back , but all we saw was a rocket that could be anyone's.

(17)
Sientje Seinen,
August 1, 2014 4:41 AM

re Israel and Gaza

I dont see why Israel has to justify itself most intelligent people are aware of what is going on between Hamas and Israel, only Hamas is crafty and a liar. It is too bad that the palestianian people are so stupid not to see what is happening. Are they not complicit with Hamas knowing there are tunnels being build under ground to wage war against Israel, and no one in Gaza objects? let it be on their own heads then if they have no clue or dont want to know whom their friends are.

(16)
MW,
August 1, 2014 3:01 AM

Great article, but they won't listen!

Thank you for an excellent article! The problem I have is despite the facts presented here, there are many people who will deny them. I'm not a Jew, but clearly God gave Israel to the Jews from which the whole world prospers whether they are an Israeli Arab or a Jew or gentile living in another nation. I have brought up many of these facts and people have tried to tell me flat out that I am lying. The percentage of people who refuse to reason seems to be growing. How do we reach these people when some of them have good intentions, honestly believing Israel is murdering innocent people?

L. Benismon,
August 1, 2014 12:08 PM

Fully agree

I fully agree with MW. That's been my experience too. I notice the skepticism growing even amongst Jews these days.

(15)
Anonymous,
August 1, 2014 1:22 AM

beautiful, beautiful article.

Ms. Miller, you did a magnificent job on this article. But it's not enough to just put it here on Aish.com . It simply won't reach the people who MUST read it. Can you try to submit it to the New York Times and major newspapers in England, U.S., CNN, etc.

(14)
Johnny Gutierrez,
August 1, 2014 12:38 AM

most things I have already been aware of, some are news to me.

3 U.N. schools have been used to store hamas weapons, and on 2 occasions rockets "JUST DISAPPEARED" according to U.N. idiots!!!

(13)
Anonymous,
August 1, 2014 12:18 AM

pure facts for all who care

Thank you very much for these facts. They remain pure facts no matter how often presents them upside down. They want the less probing world to see only the opposite but they are bound to fail. I have read Hamas charter and found it to be a rabble of violent blind rituals targeted at Jews and Israel,a script for lunatics.

(12)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 11:47 PM

Hamas Culture of Death

This is not about Israel.

The continuing source of Hamas intransigence despite losing was expressed by a Palestinian leader during the Lebanon war.

George Habash, a Greek Orthodox Christian, was known as "the godfather" of Middle East terrorism.

Habash's group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), pioneered the hijacking of airplanes as a Middle East terror tactic and triggered the Black September civil war between Jordan's Hashemite monarchy and Palestinian guerrillas.

When told that many of the Palestinians were disproportionately being killed in that war, he responded that he didn't care because no matter how few, "we are killing Jews!"

The war is not about borders, settlements, ports, fishing, etc.,

The Palestinian leadership—both Hamas and Fatah as well as its people—are mesmerized by what Thomas Mann's friend (who lived in Nazi Germany) called the "sorcery of violence."

Those in Nazi Germany lost their souls.

The same thing is happening in Gaza and the West Bank.

(11)
Katie Jobe,
July 31, 2014 11:27 PM

Hamas is vile and wicked

The idea that anyone can put a gentle child in danger and corrupt them is a thought that is difficult to penetrate the mind. It's very disturbing how the "powers that be" in our government can stop this darkness by just being moral and having a conscience. Supplying building materials and giving monetary help to these vicious entities make me wonder what is in it for them personally. They are just as accountable for the death of innocence just the same.

(10)
Cindy,
July 31, 2014 11:09 PM

Good article

Great article, I really enjoyed reading it. I study international relations, and I am happy at least someone knows what is actually going on.

(9)
james,
July 31, 2014 9:16 PM

Who is Nancy Pelosi?

Thank you Yvette for sharing facts to dispel myths. Nancy Pelosi needs to hear the truth about Hamas. She thinks they are a Humanitarian organization and she will assist international aid agencies into helping Hamas not the people of Gaza. Maybe voters or Congress should impeach her.

(8)
Ian McKenzie,
July 31, 2014 8:27 PM

May Israel be blessed!

I am a Scot and want you to know that my thoughts and prayers are with Israel at this trying time. I have told my family, ffriends and colleagues the truth about Israel for years after reading Joan Peters 'From Time Immemorial'. I can't believe the Western liberal media propaganda and their fawning to the Islamic narrative. I would gladly move my family to Israel and fight for her too. You are a beauty to behold, stand strong, be of good cheer, God is with you!

(7)
Frannk Adam,
July 31, 2014 7:47 PM

Remember the Cast Lead Arab obiits

This is a good article because it has figures and sources especially that in Falluja 800 civvies and 9000 homes bit the dust and nobody seriously made a fuss about it.Pertinently after CAST LEAD the Hamas etc own obits as You-tube clips etc gave away the names of their military killed in action and so enabled Zahal to cross those names off the list of fatalities touted by Hamas and UNWRA etc as "civilian" deaths. We shall see similarly after PROTECTIVE EDGE as there is no point and reward in martyrdom unless there is publicity. Then stuff that list of Izzedin Qassem etc deaths down the NY Times and UN.

(6)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 7:34 PM

just the facts

good, thougtful and dispassionate article on the commonly accepted and oft repeated myths of the war. This message needs to clearly and consistently articulated in the media.

(5)
Pearl krebs,
July 31, 2014 6:39 PM

Hamas must be killed. does Israel have navy seals like the ones who killed Osama bin laden.

This war cannot go on . Israel has to have peace. They have done so. Much good for the world. They have invented so màny things that the world is enjoying. Zionism must live on..I remember when Israel was declared a country in 1948. Most off the world respects Israel.

(4)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 6:30 PM

Hamas and the war.

Hamas did not this war to get so out of hand, for the simple reason that this foiled the greater plans Hamas had for Israel. Apparently, the kidnapping and murdering of the three boys, although greatly appreciated by Hamas, was not done through a Hamas directive. Hamas's main plan was to come up through the tunnels on Rosh Hashonah 2014, in multitudes and slaughter innocent people by the thousands, as well as kidnap women, children and civilians, and keep them in the tunnels. Thus, the Israeli airforce would not strike the tunnels knowing Israelis were in them. Their plan was to render Israel helpless, and take it over, chas v'shalom. This was gotten from an interrogation of a Hamas prisoner, who for a pack of cigarettes will tell all. He was asked by the Israelis, why had these sophisticated tunnels only been used once to kidnap Gilad Shalit?, The prisoner then told the Israelis of the bigger plan. This plan, he said, had been in the works for over twelve years,with tremendous training. Hence, the elaborate tunnels, and arsenals of ammunition. Hamas picked the date of this coming Rosh Hashana, because people would be in the synagogue or at home. G-d apparently had other plans, and although this war has caused too many losses on Israel's side, had their plan gone through, chas v'shalom it would have been a major catastrophe. At the same time, Israel had no idea of the extent or magnitude of these tunnels, and that to Israel's discredit is not being on top of their game .I'm sure it is almost impossible to have known about these tunnels, yet Israel has no choice, but to be one step ahead. This time, Hashem stepped in with his own plan. Terrorists are very patient, and as with 9/11 will wait years until their plans are formulated to cause the most damage. Israel, unfortunately, can never be complacent, because if the terrorists are quiet, it means they are up to no good. The terrorists who killed the three boys z'l will probably be slaughtered by Hamas.

(3)
Robert G.,
July 31, 2014 6:17 PM

Of Course HAMAS Started this War

I know Hamas has started this War with Israel. Hamas is responsible for the murders of the 3 Israeli youths. Hamas has launched the 200 rockets into Israel. What is Israel to do but to defend its borders and citizens. I support and Love Israel. Hopefully a political settlement can come about, however, from HAMAS's own retrorectal statement, I doubt any truthful political settlement of peace can ever be attained.

(2)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 5:20 PM

rockets

one thing i hear often is how rockets cause minimal damage. people compare them to plungers. how should we respond to that?

(1)
Anonymous,
July 31, 2014 3:48 PM

Thank you.

Thank you for this great article. Knowledge is power. With Hashem's help we should be able to end this crazy situation.

My nephew is having his bar mitzvah and I am thinking of a gift. In the old days, the gift of choice was a fountain pen, then a Walkman, and today an iPod. But I want to get him something special. What do you suggest?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Since this event celebrates the young person becoming obligated in the commandments, the most appropriate gift is, naturally, one that gives a deeper understanding of the Jewish heritage and enables one to better perform the mitzvot! (An iPod, s/he can get anytime.)

With that in mind, my favorite gift idea is a tzedakah (charity) box. Every Jew should have a tzedakah box in his home, so he can drop in change on a regular basis. The money can then be given to support a Jewish school or institution -- in your home town or in Israel (every Jews’ “home town”). There are beautiful tzedakah boxes made of wood and silver, and you can see a selection here.

For boys, a really beautiful gift is a pair of tefillin, the black leather boxes which contain parchments of Torah verses, worn on the bicep and the head. Owning a pair of Tefillin (and wearing them!) is an important part of Jewish identity. But since they are expensive (about $400), not every Bar Mitzvah boy has a pair. To make sure you get kosher Tefillin, see here.

In 1944, the Nazis perpetrated the Children's Action in the Kovno Ghetto. That day and the next, German soldiers conducted house-to-house searches to round up all children under age 12 (and adults over 55) -- and sent them to their deaths at Fort IX. Eventually, the Germans blew up every house with grenades and dynamite, on suspicion that Jews might be in hiding in underground bunkers. They then poured gasoline over much of the former ghetto and incinerated it. Of the 37,000 Jews in Kovno before the Holocaust, less than 10 percent survived. One of the survivors was Rabbi Ephraim Oshri, who later published a stirring collection of rabbinical responsa, detailing his life-and-death decisions during the Holocaust. Also on this date, in 1937, American Jews held a massive anti-Nazi rally in New York City's Madison Square Garden.

In a letter to someone who found it difficult to study Torah, the 20th century sage the Chazon Ish wrote:

"Some people find it hard to be diligent in their Torah studies. But the difficulty persists only for a short while - if the person sincerely resolves to submerge himself in his studies. Very quickly the feelings of difficulty will go away and he will find that there is no worldly pleasure that can compare with the pleasure of studying Torah diligently."

Although actions generally have much greater impact than thoughts, thoughts may have a more serious effect in several areas.

The distance that our hands can reach is quite limited. The ears can hear from a much greater distance, and the reach of the eye is much farther yet. Thought, however, is virtually limitless in its reach. We can think of objects millions of light years away, and so we have a much greater selection of improper thoughts than of improper actions.

Thought also lacks the restraints that can deter actions. One may refrain from an improper act for fear of punishment or because of social disapproval, but the privacy of thought places it beyond these restraints.

Furthermore, thoughts create attitudes and mindsets. An improper action creates a certain amount of damage, but an improper mindset can create a multitude of improper actions. Finally, an improper mindset can numb our conscience and render us less sensitive to the effects of our actions. We therefore do not feel the guilt that would otherwise come from doing an improper act.

We may not be able to avoid the occurrence of improper impulses, but we should promptly reject them and not permit them to dwell in our mind.

Today I shall...

make special effort to avoid harboring improper thoughts.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...